A Comparative Analysis of the Chemical Composition, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antinociceptive Effects of the Essential Oils from Three Species of Mentha Cultivated in Romania.

This work was aimed at correlating the chemotype of three Mentha species cultivated in Romania with an in vivo study of the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of essential oils. The selected species were Mentha piperita L. var. pallescens (white peppermint), Mentha spicata L. subsp. crispata (spearmint), and Mentha suaveolens Ehrh. (pineapple mint). Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the essential oils isolated from the selected Mentha species was performed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The anti-inflammatory activity of the essential oils was determined by the rat paw edema test induced by λ-carrageenan. The antinociceptive effect of the essential oils was evaluated by the writhing test in mice, using 1% (v/v) acetic acid solution administered intraperitonealy and by the hot plate test in mice. The results showed a menthol chemotype for M. piperita pallescens, a carvone chemotype for M. spicata, and a piperitenone oxide chemotype for M. suaveolens. The essential oil from M. spicata L. (EOMSP) produced statistically significant and dose-dependent anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects.

Potential Role of Propolis in the Prevention and Treatment of Metabolic Diseases.

Propolis is a resinous mixture with a complex chemical composition, produced by honeybees and stingless bees from a variety of vegetal sources. In the last decades, propolis was extensively researched, multiple studies confirming its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and wound-healing properties. More recently, due to an exponential increase in the number of patients with metabolic diseases, there is also a growing interest in the study of antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, and anti-obesity effects of propolis. The aim of this review was to evaluate the potential role of propolis in the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases like diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and obesity. The preclinical in vivo and in vitro pharmacological models investigating antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, and anti-obesity effects of propolis were reviewed with a focus on the putative mechanisms of actions of several chemical constituents. Additionally, the available clinical studies and an evaluation of the safety profile of propolis were also presented.

High-throughput LC/MS/MS analysis of ruscogenin and neoruscogenin in Ruscus aculeatus L.

A new, sensitive LC/MS/MS method was developed for the quantification of ruscogenin and neoruscogenin in hydrolyzed extracts from Ruscus aculeatus L. (Liliaceae). The two sapogenins were separated on a Zorbax SB-C18 column under isocratic conditions. The detection was performed in the multiple reaction monitoring mode using an ion trap mass spectrometer with an electrospray ionization source operated in positive ionization mode. For the quantification of the ruscogenin and neoruscogenin, calibration curves were constructed over the range of 2-1000 ng/mL. This is the first reported LC/MS/MS method for the simultaneous analysis of ruscogenin and neoruscogenin, and it showed superior sensitivity when compared with other assays described in the literature. The method has been successfully applied to quantify the two sapogenins in aerial (phylloclades) and underground parts (rhizomes, roots) of Ruscus aculeatus L.